


When the Stars Align

by InspectorBoxer



Series: Quiet Nights and Quiet Stars [2]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-07
Updated: 2016-05-16
Packaged: 2018-06-07 00:17:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6776218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InspectorBoxer/pseuds/InspectorBoxer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Their first "date" was magic. Their second one is <i>fun</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments on my first story in this series. It was a very nice welcome to the fandom! Hope you like this one as well. 
> 
> Special thanks again to Zennie and DJ Shiva for their help with this one. The second chapter should be out in about a week.

“Thanks for coming.”

Lucy Lane gave Kara a puzzled smile as she stepped into the warm glow of her apartment. It was late, National City having descended into darkness hours ago. Lucy itched to be back at the DEO finishing up her reports, but when Kara had called, asking for a friend, she’d been unable to refuse, personally or professionally.

“No problem.” Lucy glanced around the apartment curiously, startled to find Kara in sweatpants and a t-shirt. Hair swept back in a messy ponytail, glasses conspicuously missing, and devoid of makeup, Kara looked even younger, like a college co-ed cramming for finals. Chinese takeout boxes littered the coffee table and an empty gallon of ice cream sat forgotten on the kitchen counter. Someone had been comfort eating. “That kind of weekend, huh?”

Kara closed the door and motioned for Lucy to sit on the couch. “Any word on Alex and J’onn?”

Lucy shook her head as she settled in while Kara took a seat on the opposite end. Drawing her knees up to her chest, Kara snuggled against the arm, facing Lucy. “Your sister is proving to be a very talented fugitive, much to my father’s frustration.”

A small, proud smile shaped Kara’s lips. “I get the impression no one at the DEO is looking all that hard.” 

“Too bad the other agencies out there don’t have anything better to do. Have you heard from her?”

Kara shook her head and sighed, looking more than a little miserable.

“Miss her?” Lucy guessed.

“Every day. Especially right now.”

“Is that why I’m here?” Lucy asked gently, flattered that Kara would consider her as an alternative. The bond between the Danvers sisters was something she privately envied, considering her own strained relationship with Lois.

Kara nodded, her gaze on her hands which lay linked and still in her lap. “I normally wouldn’t bother you with something like this, but I… I really need to talk to someone.”

Leaning forward, Lucy put her hand on one of Kara’s socked feet and squeezed, and Kara gave her a small, grateful smile. “Am I here as the director of the DEO or as a friend?”

“Both, I think.” Kara took a deep breath. “Something… something happened last night, and I have spent nearly the last 24 hours obsessing over it.”

“Okay.” Lucy frowned. “Is this something personal or is the cape attached?”

A fraction of a grin ghosted over Kara’s face at the description before it disappeared. “Both,” she said again.

“You didn’t report in with any issues last night. I thought you went home after the fire.”

“It’s…” Kara lifted her hands before dropping them helplessly to her knees. “It’s mostly personal, but I had the cape on at the time so…”

Mind running wild with the possibilities, Lucy wondered if the other woman had any idea how that sounded. “Kara, is this about James?”

Kara snorted unexpectedly. “This is definitely not about James. I wouldn’t have called you if it had been,” she added meaningfully.

“But it’s about somebody?” 

“Have you ever… realized that you had feelings you didn’t know you had? Feelings you apparently buried so deep you were clueless they were there? Or maybe you convinced yourself what you were feeling couldn’t possibly be what it felt like, couldn’t possibly mean what you knew it did. Then something happens and it’s like… floodgates opening.”

Lucy studied her, trying to discern who they might be talking about. “What kind of feelings?”

Burrowing further into the couch, Kara sighed. “Very, very complicated feelings.” She was quiet for a moment and Lucy waited her out. “I know I’m not supposed to get involved with anyone without telling the DEO.”

Intrigue battled with duty. “Is that what this is? A notification?” Lucy asked. “Because there are some protocols…”

“Protocols. How romantic.” Kara bit her lower lip, worrying it with her teeth.

“So romance is involved?” Kara’s gaze skittered away, and Lucy had her answer. 

“I think… last night… I realized I was… attracted… to someone close to me… maybe more than attracted.”

“But we’re not talking about James?”

Slowly, Kara shook her head, looking slightly chagrinned and embarrassed.

“Okay,” Lucy said again, but her mind began to feverishly work through the possibilities while considering the mountain of paperwork this was going to cause. Supergirl’s love life was sadly a national security concern. “Is it… Winn?”

Kara shook her head again.

“Someone at the DEO?”

“No.” Kara’s voice was soft.

“So someone at CatCo?”

Throat rippling around a rough swallow, Kara looked away, her gaze focusing once more on the hands in her lap. 

There weren’t many options for Kara to choose from, but the person that popped into Lucy’s mind was the last one she would have expected, the last one Kara should have chosen. The idea seemed so absurd, Lucy almost didn’t voice it, but her gut told her she was right. “Kara, _no_.”

The younger woman’s face scrunched up as she put her hands over her features, trying to hide the blush Lucy could see crawling up her neck. “I know…” she whined, confirming Lucy’s fears.

“Kara, she’s your boss. She’s Cat freaking Grant!” Lucy was stating the obvious, but Kara apparently needed the reminder. “You really think you’re… what? In love with her?”

A sharp intake of breath was Lucy’s answer before Kara reluctantly dropped her hands and looked at her. “After last night? I’m really scared I might be. I’m really scared I’ve felt this way for a long time and convinced myself all I wanted was her praise, her mentorship.”

“You sure that’s not what this is now?”

“Oh yeah,” Kara said with the most conviction in her voice since Lucy arrived. “I don’t think I could have been any surer last night.”

“Tell me what happened.”

So Kara did. Haltingly, she confessed everything. Every moment. Everything Cat made her feel the night before. Lucy listened, surprised by how intimate it all sounded, how strangely… romantic. When Kara got to the moment on the balcony where she’d walked away, Lucy wasn’t sure if she was proud or disappointed. Maybe a little of both.

Kara watched her, biting her bottom lip again as she waited for Lucy to pass judgment.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” Kara sighed, but she sounded wary.

“Did you want to? Did you want to sleep with her?”

Kara’s blue eyes were bright when they met Lucy’s gaze. “Yes,” she admitted, the word barely a whisper.

“Do you still want to?”

Kara hesitated before nodding again. “I… haven’t been able to think about anything or anyone else.”

Lucy took a deep breath. “Nothing is ever easy with you, is it?”

Snorting softly, Kara rolled her eyes. “Alex would probably say the same thing.”

It felt like a compliment and Lucy took it as one. She squeezed Kara’s toes again in wordless comfort.

“It… feels good to tell someone. Thanks.”

“I’m honored you trust me with this. I don’t know that I approve of your choice, but I can understand it. Cat is… Cat is like the sun and we all just exist in her orbit. We’re all attracted to her in our own way.”

Smiling faintly at the comparison, Kara didn’t deny it. “Are you going to report this?” She didn’t sound upset, only resigned.

“There’s nothing to report. Not yet. But if and when there is, we’ll have to put it on the record,” Lucy admitted honestly. “If you two become… intimate,” Lucy’s brain nearly short circuited at the thought. National City was not ready for that magnitude of power couple. “Then we’ll revisit that topic.”

Kara fell silent, toying with the fraying edge of a blanket tossed over the back of her couch. Outside the open windows, Lucy smelled the hint of rain, and the night sky flickered as a streak of lighting crawled over the horizon.

“You really think me and Cat…?” Kara looked up at her then, hope and fear in equal measure in her gaze.

“I don’t know, Kara. You have a lot of obstacles in the way. Not the least of which is Supergirl and the difference in your ages.”

“I don’t care about that.”

“I guarantee you Cat does.”

Kara groaned dramatically. “One more complication. Add it to the pile.”

“Which shouldn’t be so hard to overcome for the woman who can leap tall buildings in a single bound.” Lucy offered her a reassuring smile. “If I’ve learned anything in this life, Kara, it’s that if something is meant to be, it finds a way.”

The first drops of rain began to tap invitingly against Kara’s windows, and a welcome breeze stirred the drapes. 

“So what do I do?” Kara asked, making no move to close the windows against the coming storm.

“Can you walk away?” Lucy was blunt. If there was a time for Kara to stop whatever was happening between her and Cat, it was now.

Kara’s brow furrowed as she gave the question serious thought. “I don’t… I think that might kill me,” she admitted, and Lucy didn’t think she was exaggerating. “The thought of not having Cat in my life...”

“Then you have your answer, Kara.” Lucy suspected this would be the first of many of these conversations between them to come. She could only hope Cat wanted what Kara did, or there was a lot of heartache in the younger woman’s future. Lucy hated the thought of her hurting. She’d been through so damn much already.

Slowly, Kara took a deep breath, her shoulders squaring as the clarity she’d been seeking began to sink in. Lucy recognized the determined glint beginning to flicker in those blue eyes and she smiled against her better judgment. 

“You know what you’re going to do?”

Kara nodded. “I need to ask Cat on a second date.”

****

Monday morning, Cat reluctantly stepped into her private elevator at CatCo. The doors closed almost silently and she took a moment to simply stare at her reflection in the cold metal, not sure who the woman was looking back at her. She certainly didn’t look like the Queen of All Media.

Her attire fit the part, of course, but her confidence was conspicuously MIA. She’d worked years to hone it into a lethal, sharp point, one she used to destroy anyone who might be out to bring her down, but in just one night, Kara Danvers had blunted everything.

And God help her, Cat would let her do it a thousand times over again.

The look in Kara’s eyes as they’d said goodnight had been Cat’s undoing. It had accomplished the unimaginable, unraveling her tightly held ethics about employer/employee relationships and scattering them in the summer wind. Everything about that night felt like a dream, and Cat suspected they could be frighteningly perfect for each other if there hadn’t been the gaping chasm in their ages.

Palms sweating, Cat finally smashed the up button on the elevator, determined to face the music. After a moment, the car lurched and started to climb, and Cat slipped her sunglasses back on, a shield so Kara wouldn’t see too much.

As annoying as her palms were, the butterflies in her stomach were worse. They stirred and fluttered nervously at the thought of seeing Kara again. Part of Cat couldn’t wait, desperate for a glimpse of blue eyes and that infectious smile, but the rest of her was terrified. 

They would play their roles to perfection, Cat knew; they were too professional to do anything else, but what would be below the surface of the façade? Would Kara pretend nothing had happened between them, or would that heat still be there, that sinful, delicious warmth they’d shared on Cat’s balcony?

At the memory of the hunger she’d seen in Kara’s eyes, the butterflies took flight, harder and faster than before. The damn things felt like they had the wingspan of a Cessna.

“Knock it off,” Cat ordered and the metaphorical butterflies obeyed, but Cat knew they’d be back again and in short order.

It was ridiculous, getting this worked up over a woman half her age. Getting this worked up over anyone was out of character for her, and Cat was mildly annoyed at Kara for being so different, for being the exception to her nearly every rule.

The elevator signaled its arrival and Cat swallowed, willing an expression of bored disinterest on her face. She’d had plenty of practice.

When the doors parted, Cat spied Kara instantly, her assistant dredging up a nervous smile as she offered Cat her latte.

“Morning, Ms. Grant,” Kara greeted, a little too eagerly, but Cat noticed the younger woman was struggling to maintain eye contact.

“Morning, Kiera.” Cat took the cup, pleased her hands weren’t shaking, but when their fingers brushed, the butterflies really went to town. Cat tried to kill them all by taking a sip of her too hot coffee.

Kara pulled her hand back as if she’d been burned and adjusted her glasses. “Did you have a good weekend?” She looked like she regretted the questions as soon as it left her mouth.

Cat smiled slightly, Kara’s clear nerves strangely easing some of her own. “It was… better than average.” She brushed past her assistant but didn’t miss the twitch of Kara’s lips as she fought to keep a smile from forming. “You?” she called over her shoulder, knowing Kara would follow.

“Me? Um… it was… wonderful.”

Taking a quick breath, Cat cast her eyes heavenward, praying to whatever god she hadn’t thoroughly offended by now to keep a goofy, love-struck expression off her face at the remark. Honestly, this hormonal nonsense needed to stop.

Sauntering into her office, Cat noticed the pizza box and beer bottles were gone. Her cleaning crew had done their job, but she was oddly disappointed that the evidence of her evening with Supergirl has been tossed in the trash. It was as if it never happened, all traces of the superhero wiped from the room.

Well, almost all traces. Cat paused at her desk, turning around to find Kara standing there in the middle of the room staring at the cleared table as well, and the butterflies took flight again, virtually stampeding. Huffing in frustration with herself, she watched as Kara quickly straightened and met Cat’s gaze. “Any changes to my schedule I need to know about?”

“No. Everything seems to be… the same.”

Was that a hint of disappointment? Cat frowned, unsure what to say or do. She took another sip of her latte and regarded the younger woman. Kara was wearing a new sleeveless dress that showed off her toned arms, and the color was a deep, almost blood red. She looked… like temptation personified, Cat decided, which was accurate but unhelpful. Cat reluctantly turned away, slipping off her sunglasses and tossing them on her desk. “Someone is updating her wardrobe.”

“I…”

“Wherever you bought that number, Kiera, you should continue shopping there.” Cat sat down and booted up her laptop.

Glancing down at herself, Kara smiled, just a little, before looking back up at Cat. “Was that a compliment, Ms. Grant?”

“Hmm.” Cat fortified herself before looking at the younger woman again. The satisfied grin on Kara’s face was as sexy as it was adorable, and Cat knew she was going to get next to nothing done today if Kara was around to distract her. “I need you to get me the latest layouts and then I have a few errands for you to run.”

“Of course.” Kara stood there a moment, unsure. Cat knew exactly how she felt.

“Chop, chop.” The words were a little more cheerful than intended and as soon as Kara left the room, Cat rolled her eyes at herself.

“Stop acting like a lovesick fool,” she grumbled.

The description, her ego reminded her gleefully, was also accurate and entirely unhelpful.

****

_“You owe me, Max.”_

Kara’s hearing sharpened at the sound of Cat’s voice, raised in irritation. After two years, she’d developed a filter for it, her livelihood often depending on how quickly she could remove that particular pitch from her boss’ tone. Trapped in the elevator, there was little she could do but wait, but when she heard who Cat was talking to, the desire to get out and push got a hell of a lot stronger.

_“Which is why I came in person to apologize.”_

Max. 

Maxwell Lord.

When the doors parted, Kara shot out of the elevator, nearly flying toward Cat’s office. Winn gave her a look as she blew past him, sending papers scattering, her expression less than friendly as she charged into Cat’s domain like she belonged there.

“Cat, I’d love nothing more than to be your arm candy tonight for this benefit, but I have to take care of something.”

“You need to take care of something so much you took the time to come here when a phone call would have sufficed?”

“What can I say?” Max smiled disarmingly. “You’re beautiful when you’re angry, and I needed a break. But I should be going. Work to do, protecting the city from aliens and all that.” 

Kara cleared her throat, drawing their attention on her. When Max turned, he smiled knowingly, and Kara drew her shoulders back, ready to show him out personally if need be. Throwing him through the outside wall seemed like the fastest route.

Cat glared at him, but when she finally focused on her assistant, her anger shifted into something that sounded suspiciously like concern. “Kiera, what’s wrong?”

Kara took a deep breath, guessing her Sunny Danvers persona had slipped for something decidedly more homicidal. “Nothing, Ms. Grant. Do I need to reschedule your next appointment?” she asked pointedly, hoping Cat would play along.

“That won’t be necessary,” Cat said in a clipped tone. “He was just leaving.”

Max sauntered closer, ignoring Cat and eyeing Kara in a way that made her want a shower. “Kara,” he purred. “Looking lovely in red today. Of course, blue is really your color.” He stopped in front of her, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Heard from your sister lately?”

Her fingers curled inward, balling into fists. Max might have actually cared, his tone indicated genuine curiosity and maybe even a hint of concern, but Kara didn’t give a damn. She wanted him far away from Alex and even farther away from Cat. “She’s none of your business.”

“Come on, Kara. We both know she’s been given the short end of the stick.”

Worried Cat might begin to connect Supergirl’s worries to Kara’s own, Kara adjusted her glasses and leveled a dangerous glare at Max. “I don’t want to know how you know that, but my sister is none of your business,” she reiterated. “Now, Ms. Grant has a full day. Either you leave or I call security.”

Cat was watching them, her keen eyes missing nothing and a curious frown on her lips. 

Max loitered for a few seconds more, savoring Kara’s discomfort before her turned back to Cat and held out his hands in supplication. “Give your mother my regards.”

Cat growled and shoved open her door to her balcony as Max left, and Kara was torn between Cat’s upset and making sure Max got the hell out of CatCo. In the end, the pull toward Cat was stronger, and Kara followed her out on the balcony.

It was too bright and too hot, heat waves causing the concrete beneath their feet to shimmer, but Cat seemed oblivious. If anything, she was soaking it in, letting it fuel her ire. Kara approached her with caution, loathing Max even more for upsetting her.

“Ms. Grant? Are you alright?”

Cat said nothing, glaring out at the city but seeing none of it. Kara inched toward the rail, remembering just in time not to place her bare arm on it as she watched the older woman carefully. Max was right about one thing. Cat was beautiful when she was angry, the fire in her eyes adding an intensity to her looks that was nearly impossible to tear her gaze from, but the simmering rage boiling beneath the surface made Kara’s stomach hurt. She desperately wanted to touch her, to off comfort, but she didn’t dare.

“Ms. Grant?” she tried again.

“I should have known better.”

Kara swallowed, hating the hint of disappointment she detected in Cat’s brittle tone. “About?”

Cat lifted a hand and massaged her right temple. “A lesson for you, Kiera. Never depend on a man for anything.”

Kara snorted faintly and Cat looked at her in surprise. “If you mean Maxwell Lord, he’s…” Kara searched for the term. “I mean… I don’t even think of him as a man. Something to scrape off the bottom of my shoe, maybe.” Kara was rewarded with the flicker of a smile from Cat and it felt like the best victory she’d had all day. “Can I ask what he did?”

“We had a date.”

“Oh.” The word came out softly, like an exclamation of pain, which is exactly what it was.

Cat took a deep breath as she watched her, something in her eyes gentling at whatever expression she saw on Kara’s face. “Not a real date. More like… an arrangement. Max owed me a huge favor and I collected. Now it looks like he’s going to owe me two.”

“Oh,” Kara said again, a completely different inflection this time. She hoped her relief wasn’t manifesting in her voice. “Um… what was the arrangement?”

“The new National City Animal Sanctuary opens tonight. It’s a private benefit for the VIPs and donors.”

“I heard about the sanctuary. It sounds amazing.” She’d flown over it a few times to take a peek at how the park had been coming along, excited and proud to see such an expensive and expansive effort to protect endangered animals was happening in her city.

“It better be, considering the money CatCo donated to the cause.”

Kara smiled and risked teasing the other woman. “You had me worried there for a second.”

“You thought I was really dating Maxwell Lord?” Cat sniffed, but she eyed Kara now, her expression curious.

“My point. I thought you had infinitely better taste.”

Cat stared at her, and Kara’s body grew warmer in reaction. “It’s improving,” Cat said simply. “But still getting me into trouble.”

Clearing her throat, Kara resisted the urge to squirm.

“I did date Max for a time,” Cat admitted, letting her off the hook as she turned to focus on the city again. “Not one of my smarter decisions.”

“I really… don’t want to think about that,” Kara said sincerely, but Cat just slowly smiled, offering Kara a wicked grin that sent her hormones into overdrive. “Why ask Max if you don’t like him? You go to events alone all the time.”

“Not when my mother will be there.”

“Oh,” Kara said for the third time, understanding dawning.

“Oh,” Cat parodied, but her tone lacked its usual bite.

“So… you thought, as the most powerful woman in the city, that if you showed up with the most powerful man in the city…” Kara winced, beginning to understand.

“Spare me your thoughts on my _brilliant_ plan, Kiera.” Cat sighed theatrically. “I suppose this is the universe’s way of evening the scales since I stood up what’s his name from that whatever movie two years ago. Karma took its sweet time with that one.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Grant.”

Cat sighed again, and it sounded more genuine this time. “There’s an open bar. I’ll survive. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to the evening anyway. Max is pretty, but for such a genius he can be incredibly… dumb.”

A germ of an idea took hold, and Kara glanced sideways at her boss, wondering how Cat would react. The sanctuary sounded like the perfect place for a second date.

Before Kara could suggest it, Lucy’s voice crackled in Kara’s ear, alerting her to another Fort Rozz escapee down by the docks. Kara closed her eyes at the timing, but the sooner she dealt with the problem, the faster she could get back to Cat.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Grant,” she said again, backing toward the door. “I just remembered this thing… I have to…”

Cat arched one eyebrow as she watched Kara shove the door open and hurry inside. She shook her head, knowing exactly what Kara needed to do.

“Duty calls,” she murmured, unsurprised to see Supergirl shoot across the sky moments later.

****

Hell apparently had a soundtrack.

Cat groaned and rolled her eyes as the muffled sounds of _The Lion Sleeps Tonight_ greeted guests to the National City Animal Sanctuary as they walked the red carpet outside her town car. Her driver glanced up in his rearview mirror, offering her a sympathetic grin. 

“Want me to keep the engine running, Ms. Grant?”

“Don’t tempt me.” Besides his penchant for chatting about baseball, her new driver was at least working out nicely. Cat gave him another eye roll for effect as the car pulled up and her door was opened from the outside. The summer heat wafted in as a young volunteer clad in a rented tuxedo offered her his hand. Cat took it since he was practically a boy and she didn’t want to stump his development by rejecting it.

Cameras went wild as she emerged, stunning in a sleeveless black sheath accented with slashes of white across her torso. She looked like she’d been clawed by something wicked, and the dress gave her a predatory appearance that pleased her. It was the closest she would come to the absurd jungle theme the guests had been asked to sport.

Walking the red carpet alone didn’t bother her. Honestly, she preferred not to share the spotlight. Cat Grant didn’t need a man to elevate her in the eyes of others, she had her own power. Men needed her.

Except when it came to her mother. Katherine Grant was the one creature on Earth who could make Cat feel utterly powerless. Tempted to pop a Lexapro to fortify herself, she kept the pills in her purse for now. Drinking heavily was on her agenda, and while Cat too often ignored the “Do NOT take with alcohol” warning on the label, she didn’t want to be completely at her mother’s mercy by being too relaxed. Letting her guard down around Katherine Grant was not an option. 

Sighing, Cat made her way inside, exchanging small talk along the way with friends, associates, and even a few enemies because it was always good to keep them guessing. Once she stepped through the gates, she paused, taking it all in. The ridiculous music aside, the initial appearance of the sanctuary was aesthetically pleasing, offering plenty of lush plants, aromatic flowers, and a multitude of geographically-themed paths one could wander depending on one’s interests. Strings of white lights dangled overhead for the occasion, and the whole setting was strangely romantic, or at least as romantic as it could be when she could smell the elephant habitat close by.

For a moment, Cat stood there, wishing she had someone to share the evening ahead with. Not because of her mother, although that was enough of a reason, but because the sanctuary actually looked… fun. One face instantly came to mind, and Cat sighed again at the lonely ache that bloomed in her chest as she watched other couples mingle.

“Kitty!”

“God, adulting sucks,” Cat said under her breath. If she was going to be reduced to feeling like a disappointing teenager, Cat figured she might as well act like one. She plastered an insincere smile on her face and turned, waiting for her mother to reach her.

Apparently, Katherine Grant had no qualms about embracing the jungle theme. Looking like a sparkling tiger who’d just spotted her prey, she pounced, greeting her daughter with polite but distant air kisses which Cat returned in kind.

“Mother,” Cat said drolly, glancing at the young man on her arm and waiting for introductions.

There were none as he simply kissed Katherine’s cheek and went off to find the open bar. Cat was tempted to follow him.

“They keep getting younger,” she commented neutrally.

“One thing your father and I had in common.”

Cat couldn’t argue with that. Maybe she could get away with blaming her attraction to Kara on genetics.

Distantly, she wondered what Kara was doing tonight, wondered if she’d solved whatever crisis had pulled her away late in the day. A pang of worry brought Cat’s hand up to the silver teardrop necklace at her throat and she toyed with it as her mother droned on. Surely someone would have said something if harm had come to Supergirl…

“Did you come alone?” Katherine asked, sounding positively giddy at the thought as she jarred Cat from her concerns. “Really, Kitty, everyone who is anyone is at this event. Couldn’t you find someone?”

“I don’t need someone, mother.” Cat’s efforts to sound confident rang hollow to her own ears.

“But how does it look when a woman of your age can’t find a man? Or even a woman?”

Cat glared, hating the way this woman could always spot whatever insecurity was gnawing at her and exploit it. There was a commotion outside the entrance, and she looked over her shoulder to see camera flashes going off like mad. She frowned before turning back to her mother who seemed equally as curious about who was arriving.

“Now, Kitty, it’s all about perception,” Katherine continued distractedly. “Surely you know that in your line of…” she trailed off abruptly, her eyes widening.

Before Cat could ask what was wrong, a hand unexpectedly touched the hollow of her back and lingered there possessively. The way her body reacted to the contact, in pure pleasure rather than surprise, Cat didn’t even have to turn around to see who was there.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

“Sorry I’m late.” Supergirl appeared on Cat’s left, the summer breeze stirring her hair and gently billowing her cape behind her. She looked radiant as she turned her blue eyes on Cat and smiled. “You didn’t go see any of the animals without me, did you?”

Cat could have kissed her, for so many reasons. “I suppose when you’re out saving the world it’s expected from time to time,” she said smoothly, playing along, relieved to see the other woman whole and unharmed. “Mother. I’m sure you know Supergirl,” Cat introduced, hearing whispers around them as the other attendees spotted the superhero. “My _date_ for the evening.” 

“Of course.” Katherine dredged up a bitter smile and shook Supergirl’s hand. Cat wondered if her slight wince was induced by the moment or if Supergirl had added a little extra force to make a point.

“Mrs. Grant,” Supergirl greeted with enthusiasm, laying her inherent sweetness on extra thick just for the occasion. “Cat has told me so much about you.”

Cat could have laughed at her mother’s mildly panicked expression, but Katherine was nothing if not a professional manipulator and she quickly recovered. She adjusted her glasses, taking in the other woman curiously given the chance to do so.

“I didn’t realize you and my daughter had become such close… _friends_.”

Supergirl kept smiling, ignoring the sarcastic emphasis. “Actually, Cat is one of the people I trust most.”

“Really?” Katherine sounded skeptical. “After she was so hard on your when you first came on the scene? She was rather... harsh... in her criticism.”

Drawing up a little straighter, Cat held her tongue. There was no point arguing against the truth, but a small pang of guilt made her frown when she remembered some of the things she’d said about Supergirl in Kara’s presence.

“I deserved it.” Supergirl chuckled, surprising them both. “I was a mess. I tried to take on too much too fast. Actually, Cat’s advice helped me figure a few things out. Do better.” She sounded proud and grateful.

Katherine glanced enviously at her daughter before fixing her shrewd gaze back on Supergirl. “You sound almost smitten.”

Supergirl’s smile faltered, just a fraction. Cat doubted her mother had noticed but she had.

“We all have our heroes, Mrs. Grant.”

The praise caught both mother and daughter off guard. Kara smiled at Cat then, her gaze open and honest, and Cat was thrown further to realize the words weren’t part of the act.

“Well,” Katherine murmured, wilting under the beguiling smile Supergirl continued to beam at her. “We’re certainly happy you’re able to join us. Although with recent events, I’m sure you must find things like this to be… awkward.”

It was one thing for her mother to hurl her insults at her, it was another thing entirely for her to go after Kara. “Mother…” Venom all but dripped from the warning. 

Supergirl’s hand slid up Cat’s back, coming to rest on the exposed skin between her shoulder blades. Her thumb stroked back and forth as she tried to calm Cat down, but the touch was having the opposite effect. Cat struggled to breathe, the heat of Kara’s hand sparking little licks of fire down her spine.

“The only way to repair National City’s trust in me is to earn it back,” Supergirl said, but Cat noticed she wasn’t the only one short of breath at the intimate touch. “Hopefully I won’t detract from the cause tonight,” she added, “because it’s one that matters to me a great deal.”

Supergirl’s earnest reply was something Katherine simply didn’t know how to handle, and Cat relished watching her mother flounder until she spotted something she hadn’t expected to see, at least not by her estimations, for another several weeks.

“You have a fan club,” she said softly, a pleased smile spilling across her features.

Supergirl cocked her head in confusion and Cat casually pointed toward a small cluster of very young Girl Scouts who were watching Supergirl from a polite distance. They looked excited enough to burst.

Turning in surprise, Supergirl spied the group and went still. Kara’s fingers flexed unconsciously on Cat’s back before a noticeable tremor shivered through the other woman. One of the youngest girls shyly waved at her hero, and Supergirl smiled tremulously and waved back.

That’s all it took.

The pack descended on them, babbling happily. Supergirl laughed, delighted, and knelt down to be on their level. Kara took time with each of them as the attendees looked on, their initial reservations at her appearance giving way to smiles, the unbridled joy of the children infectious.

Cat swallowed an unexpected lump in her throat. The moment was just what National City, and Supergirl, needed.

“Can I have a hug?” one little girl asked.

“Absolutely.” Supergirl threw her arms open wide and the gaggle of children all rushed forward, almost piling on top of her. Kara pretended to give ground under the onslaught, toppling over and laughing as people took pictures and videos with their phones. “You’re so strong!” she told them. “Are you all from Krypton, too?”

The girls giggled and Cat felt a happy laugh bubble up inside her, forgetting all about her mother as her entire focus was captured by Supergirl’s charming antics. She was being ridiculous, but the children were eating it up. Cat watched her, both proud and moved by her kindness and easy rapport with the girls. 

There was no doubt what story would lead the news tonight. Cat was watching it unfold right before her eyes and to lead with anything else would be unthinkable. “I don’t think Supergirl has anything to worry about, do you mother?” she asked, reveling at the genuine happiness in Kara’s eyes.

Katherine glanced at her, the corners of her mouth pulling down into an exaggerated frown. “Have a lovely evening, darling.”

Cat waited until she’d walked away before she slipped her own phone from her clutch and snapped a photo of Kara for herself. It was all disgustingly precious and better PR for Supergirl than she could have come up with deliberately.

“Could we get a photo?” the event photographer asked and Supergirl laughed again as all the girls squealed, clamoring off her to pose. She gave Cat an apologetic smile as she stood, dusting herself off a little.

“Give me just…”

“Take your time,” Cat said gently, wanting her to savor this moment as much as she did.

Supergirl smiled at her then, a private smile for her alone that sent Cat’s pulse racing. 

The children crowded around the superhero as the photographer got in position.

“Everybody ready?” Supergirl asked, tearing her gaze away from Cat reluctantly. When she was greeted with an excited, agreeable chorus, she grinned and lifted one arm toward the sky. “Everybody, reach for the stars!”

All the little girls mimicked the pose, ready to take flight, and the crowd clapped and cheered as the photographer took far more photos than needed of the moment.

“Thank you, Supergirl,” the girls called out as their pack leader led them away a few minutes later with a grateful smile.

“Thank you,” Kara said softly. She drew in a deep breath, watching them walk away, and Cat gave her a moment to collect herself.

“Sorry about that,” Supergirl murmured when she finally came closer. She glanced around, her brow furrowing. “Where did Katherine go?”

“Back under her bridge, probably. Trolls can’t handle that much cute.”

Supergirl gave her a knowing look, not buying Cat’s affected boredom in the least. “She is your mother.”

“So the birth certificate says. I still think it’s a forgery.” Cat regarded her knowingly. “You all right?”

The superhero nodded, but tears had collected at the corners of her eyes. “Yeah. That was… I’d missed that.”

“Being a celebrity?”

“Being someone who inspired them instead of scared them.”

The sentiment hit Cat like a sucker punch and she breathed in slowly, letting the pain she felt for Kara disperse and dissipate before saying another word.

“I don’t think your mother liked me,” Supergirl said unexpectedly, but she sounded almost pleased at the notion. “She kinda looked like she’d swallowed a bug when I showed up.”

Cat nearly giggled at the thought. “You did pour it on a little thick.”

Unrepentant, Supergirl crossed her arms, arching one eyebrow in challenge. “Would you have had it any other way?”

“Hell no.”

****

They walked quietly through the sanctuary, their shoulders occasionally brushing, as they took in the various animals and their elaborate habitats. Supergirl had to see every single animal they came across, of course, enjoying the park with the enthusiasm of a child. Her joy rubbed off on Cat, just a little, as she experienced the sanctuary in a way she hadn’t expected to.

When the crowds thinned a little, Cat joined Kara at the elephant exhibit, watching the majestic creatures beneath simulated moonlight so the visitors could see them better.

“They’re beautiful,” Supergirl murmured, sounding awed. 

Cat lifted one skeptical eyebrow at the adjective, but didn’t comment. 

“You can see their intelligence in their eyes, their compassion.”

“Speaking of compassion…”

Supergirl turned her head to look at her curiously.

“Not that I don’t appreciate the rescue, but how did you get in without an invitation?” Cat asked, realizing Supergirl had clearly walked the red carpet to get inside and had been the cause of the earlier commotion.

Supergirl stood up a little straighter, and Cat watched, perversely fascinated, as her blue eyes looked anywhere but at Cat. “Oh… uh… Kara.” 

Cat blinked. “My assistant?” _The one standing right in front of me?_ she mentally added.

“I came to see you and she gave me your spare. Mentioned that you were here and might need… rescuing… from your mother. I guess they’ve met.”

Cat didn’t know whether to be offended by the ruse or grateful that Kara cared so much to deliver for her in such a public way, especially when the public had been less than friendly toward her as of late. “Seems like a step down from your usual saving the day activities.”

“I rescue people in distress. You looked like you were distressed,” Supergirl teased, relaxing marginally.

“I was actually going to invite her,” Cat said offhandedly.

It was Supergirl’s turn to blink. “Your mother?”

“My assistant.”

“Oh.”

Cat had surprised her, and she watched as Kara took that in, unsure what to think.

“Hmm. I thought she might like something like this. And do not tell her I admitted this, but I enjoy her company.” She stared pointedly at Supergirl, willing her to understand that there was no distinction for Cat. They were one in the same to her, despite how hard Kara worked to pretend otherwise. She would have been proud to have either of Kara’s personas on her arm for the evening, realizing that perhaps there was one person she wouldn’t mind sharing, or even abdicating, the spotlight to. No one had ever made her feel that way, and Cat realized she was in deeper than she’d imagined.

“Why didn’t you?” Supergirl wondered.

“Because when I turned around to extend the invitation, she was gone. She has a habit of rabbiting away at the oddest times. If she weren’t so excellent at her job…” Cat was rewarded with just the barest glimpse of guilt in Supergirl’s blue eyes.

“If you wanted to call her…”

“No.” Cat stepped closer, risking contact and laying her hand gently on the other woman’s arm. “I think your presence here tonight could be good for you. And you’re likely to keep my mother at bay which is definitely good for me.” Cat was quiet a moment. “You came to see me?” she played along, curious how Supergirl would respond.

“I… was in the area. Thought we could watch the… if you were… um… I just… anyway…” Supergirl waved her hands as if that explained everything.

Her reaction was bashful, awkward, and a total lie, and pretty much everything Cat could have hoped for when she imagined this reunion, when the parts they played during the day gave way to more honest versions of themselves at night. Whatever was happening between them, it was dangerously mutual if the blush crawling up Supergirl’s chest was any indication. Cat had suspected that was the case, that the girl was at least attracted to her, but what Kara had done for her tonight suggested there was more to it than that.

Which left Cat with a decision to make. Saturday night she’d been forced to accept how much she wanted Kara when she’d thrown caution to the wind on her balcony, but now, with a cooler head, the last thing she should pursue was a relationship with her assistant… or her alter ego.

Supergirl watched her, sensing Cat’s internal dilemma. She took a step back, as if in retreat, her gaze dropping. “Maybe I should just…”

“I’m glad you’re here.” The words were barely louder than a whisper, but Supergirl stopped in her tracks, looking up at Cat in surprise.

“You sure?” For someone who was nearly invincible, Kara played achingly vulnerable to perfection.

Cat knew her answer encompassed far more than the moment as she made her choice, setting herself free or damning her only time would tell. She couldn’t run from this, couldn’t push Kara away. She’d tried and hurt them both. “I’m sure.”

Supergirl smiled at her, a tremulous, radiant smile that made those damn butterflies swarm back with a vengeance. Cat swallowed again, realizing at that moment that there was nothing she wouldn’t do for that smile. She was hopeless. Utterly hopeless. Kara Danvers was going to ruin her completely, and Cat couldn’t wait to let her.

****

The sanctuary was sprawling. Kara had known it was big, but walking it was a far different experience than flying over it. She was surprised how rarely they came into contact with the other attendees the deeper they journeyed into the park, making it feel like they were practically alone with the animals.

They’d been through three of the five sections of the park so far, and Kara had to admit their “date” seemed to be going pretty well. Conversation was largely effortless, although they had stayed to safe topics, and she’d been learning all sort of little things about what made Cat Grant tick.

Like the fact the woman had a generosity streak a mile wide.

“Really? The “Cat” Sanctuary?” Supergirl straightened as she finished reading the dedication plaque. She shook her head, charmed by Cat’s humor and touched that she’d invested what had to be millions into the habitat around them. This wasn’t a CatCo write-off she realized as her finger traced over Cat and Carter Grant’s names. Cat had given of her own fortune to make this part of the sanctuary a reality.

Cat shrugged. “The reptile house was already taken.” She walked away from her view of the lion habitat and drew alongside Supergirl, leaning against the rail beside her. “Why am I not surprised you’re one of those nerdy people who actually reads those things?”

“Hey!” Supergirl protested on a laugh, not missing the way Cat’s eyes sparkled challengingly. “I don’t know what all of these animals are. I’m not from around here, remember?”

“Neither do I and it doesn’t matter.” Cat flicked her wrist at the lions. “Those are lions. I don’t need to know that they’re Asiatic lions.”

“How do you know they’re Asiatic lions unless you read the plaque?”

Cat paused, caught, and Supergirl smirked.

“Gotcha.” Kara pointed at her, savoring her victory. “Guess I’m not the only nerd here tonight.”

“Don’t gloat, Supergirl. It’s not attractive.” Cat shook her head, but she wore the barest hint of a grin.

With a sigh, Cat walked over to a nearby bench and sat down, kicking off her heels and massaging one of her feet gently.

“I guess heels aren’t the best attire for this, huh?”

“What did I just say about gloating?” Cat replied primly.

Kara grinned again. Lately it seemed she couldn’t stop smiling when she was around Cat and she didn’t want to. “It’s a beautiful place.”

“It is,” Cat agreed, wincing a little as she dug her thumb into her heel. “Would have been even nicer with conveyor belts in place of sidewalks.” She eyed Supergirl with disgust. “Let me guess. Your feet never hurt.”

“I’d never say never…” Kara rolled her eyes skyward, affecting an air of innocence.

“I hate you.”

Cat’s tone suggested the opposite, and Kara soaked it in, all too aware of the effect it had on her deepening attraction to the older woman. She sauntered closer. Saturday night had been magical, but tonight, tonight had actually been _fun_. “Don’t hate the player.”

Cat stared at her for a moment before chuckling. “This is a new side of you, Supergirl.”

“Is it bad?” Kara asked, stopping next to the bench and waiting for Cat’s beautiful hazel eyes to meet hers. She enjoyed the jolt to her guts when they did.

Huffing slightly, Cat slowly looked up at her. “I didn’t say that.”

“Come on, Cat, admit it. You’re having fun.”

“Hmm.”

Kara shook her head, amused, before she sat down next to Cat on the bench, breathing in the cooling air, a hint of rain, and the dizzying scent of Cat’s perfume. She took stock of the moment, how perfect it was, doing her best to memorize everything about it. She’d never felt this comfortable with anyone other than Alex, and Kara spared a moment to wonder what her sister would think of her feelings for Cat Grant.

Alex would no doubt rant and rail, but once she knew how Cat made Kara feel, she’d give in. Kara could almost hear her sister’s voice, _If you really love her, Kara, go for it, but if she hurts you, she’ll answer to me._ The thought made Kara smile but she ached for Alex, sending up a small prayer to Rao to watch over her sister wherever she might be.

Taking a deep breath, Kara decided to take her sister’s advice, or what she imagined that advice would be. She made a gimme gesture with her hand and Cat hesitated.

“What?”

“Give me your foot.”

“Why?” Cat looked strangely worried.

“I’m going to feed it to the lions.” Kara leaned forward, wrapping her fingers around Cat’s ankle and drawing the other woman’s foot into her lap. She began to run her thumbs up and down Cat’s arch and the older woman made a tiny, provocative sound in the back of her throat.

“Too hard?” Kara stopped, afraid she’d hurt her, but her mouth had gone dry in reaction.

Cat looked like she was going to say something but instead she just shook her head.

So Kara continued, enjoying the chance to touch the other woman, wondering if she could get Cat to make that sound again.

“If my mother could see us now.” Cat’s voice had gone husky and Kara shivered slightly. She’d never heard that particular timbre from the woman before, but if the clenching in her stomach was any indication, she liked it.

“There’s a mental picture.”

They were quiet a moment, and Kara became hyper aware of Cat’s breathing, the way it quickened and stuttered as the slow massage continued. She moved to Cat’s heel and was rewarded with a low moan that complicated her own efforts to draw in air. She reached up to adjust a pair of glasses that weren’t there out of nervous habit.

“That the spot?” Kara had to clear her throat. The night seemed to be getting warmer.

“You’re uh… very good at that.” Cat swallowed, refusing to look at her. “You could have a career to fall back on if the whole superhero thing doesn’t pan out.”

Kara huffed playfully. “Think I’ll need it?”

“Well, if work is slowing down so markedly that the only person who needed rescuing tonight was me…” Cat made a slight yip of surprise as Kara playfully pinched her little toe. 

“Some nights are easier than others.”

“At least no one is shooting at you.”

“Yet. Night isn’t over.”

“What does that feel like?” Cat wondered, staring up at the night sky as the clouds began to encroach on the horizon. “Do you even feel the bullets bouncing off you at all?”

Kara consider the question. “I feel them. It’s not that I don’t feel, it’s just… we have a higher pain threshold. It takes more than that to hurt us.”

“So what does it feel like?” Cat repeated.

Hesitantly, Kara began to tap lightly on Cat’s calf, smirking a little as Cat shot an incredulous look her way. “You asked,” she pointed out.

Cat shook her head with mock disgust. “No wonder your feet don’t hurt.”

Kara bit her lip and grinned. 

“So… why didn’t you bring Carter tonight?” Kara switched feet and she watched as Cat’s head lolled back against the bench.

“My mother and I cause him anxiety when we’re in the same space.”

“Your mother causes me anxiety,” Kara admitted, watching as Cat’s eyes slipped closed in pleasure. To know she was making Cat feel good left Kara reeling, eager to please her more. Her gaze fixated on the silver teardrop pendant at Cat’s throat, watching Cat’s rapid pulse as it drummed against her skin. “Can’t blame him,” she breathed.

“I’m afraid I don’t help. She brings out the worst in me.”

“So…” Kara struggled to find something else to talk about, to distract her mind from the feel of Cat’s skin as it warmed beneath her touch, tempted to skim her fingers higher onto Cat’s calf, wondering what the other woman would do. “Do you have a favorite animal?”

Cat’s eyes blinked open slowly. For a moment, Kara thought she would deflect, level some sarcastic retort, but she smiled a little instead. “You’ll laugh.”

“Why would I laugh?” Kara wondered, genuinely curious now.

“Penguins.”

“Um…” A giggle teased the back of Kara’s throat but she managed to suppress it with effort.

“Told you.”

Assuming she’d just been given permission to, Kara chuckled. “Sorry. I just thought… I don’t know. I guess I figured you for something more queen of the jungle.” She gestured at the lions.

“What about you?”

Kara’s smile faded. “I like them all.”

“Of course you do,” Cat muttered good naturally. “Did they have zoos on Krypton?”

“No.”

“Please tell me you all were too advanced.”

“No,” Kara said again. “By the time I was born, most of the animals were extinct.”

Silence stretched out between them for a moment before Kara took a breath and faced the other woman. Cat’s gaze was searching, compassionate, but she didn’t pry. Didn’t pick at that particular wound with a single question, and for a woman who would always have the instincts of a reporter, Kara knew that was no small sacrifice.

“I’m afraid Krypton was no better than Earth in that regard. We destroyed their habitats in the name of progress. Hunted others into extinction. Once the dominoes started falling they fell faster and faster until there was nothing we could do to stop them. Every living thing is a part of something bigger. Tear enough pieces away and it all dies.”

“It’s hard to fathom sometimes.”

Kara’s gaze jerked toward her again as Cat’s voice rescued her from the past and yanked her back into a far more pleasant present. “What?”

“How much you’ve been through. No one would ever guess to know you.” Cat’s eyes were serious now as they focused on her. “I wouldn’t have survived it.”

“You’re one of the strongest women I know,” Kara argued.

Cat shook her head. “Not as strong as you. And I don’t mean your powers.”

Slowly, Kara took a deep breath, comforted to be in Cat’s company. “Sorry,” she murmured. “I didn’t mean to bring the mood down,” she joked weakly. “Seems like I do that every time we’re together.”

“Don’t be sorry. I…” Cat paused as Kara’s gentle massage began again. “I like knowing more about you, about where you came from.”

“Even when it’s all depressing?” Supergirl looked up in surprise when Cat playfully swatted her arm.

“It’s not all depressing. At least I hope not. Sometime you need to tell me more about Krypton. All I know about it now is that it had a red sun and it apparently produced very attractive people if you and Superman are anything to go by.”

The flattery caught Kara by surprise and another telltale blush began to spread up her neck.

“You don’t talk about it much, do you? Your home?”

Supergirl shook her head. “Not about the way it was before…”

“It hurts too much,” Cat said with understanding.

“Yeah,” Kara agreed softly. “Most days… I can get through them now with only thinking about my family once or twice. I’ll see something, experience something… and wish I could tell my mom and dad about it. They would have been amazed by this planet.”

Cat swallowed. “They would be proud of you.”

“I hope so,” Kara said softly. She started a little when Cat’s hand drifted down her arm and squeezed her wrist gently.

“I know so.”

The conviction in Cat’s voice left a warm, funny feeling in Kara’s stomach. “Thanks.” She was quiet a moment. “I’ll… I’ll have to show you pictures of it sometime.”

“You have pictures?”

Kara grinned now, hearing the unmistakable sound of Cat Grant ready to pounce on an exclusive.

“No. Not… actual pictures. Images I’ve painted.”

“You paint?”

Supergirl nodded. “Not as often as I’d like, but… it helps me… sort my feelings out. Clear my head.”

“Now that I’d paid good money to see.”

Turning her head, Kara met Cat’s eyes curiously, a nervous, but excited flutter in her chest almost making her cough. “I’ll show them to you sometime.”

“I’d like that.” Reluctantly, Cat sat up, slipping her feet from Supergirl’s lap. “Thank you. I’m sure your hands must be getting tired.”

“I could…” Kara paused and Cat looked at her. “I could…” She tried again before she cleared her throat and decided to shut up. Declaring that she could massage Cat for hours was probably not something she should say to her boss, no matter how much she wanted Cat to know that.

Slowly, one sculpted eyebrow arched skyward, as if Cat were reading her mind, and Kara’s skin flushed again with both embarrassment and arousal. 

“You ready to call it a night?” Kara asked, aware of Cat’s intense gaze on her profile. “Do I need to carry you back to your car?” She was only half joking.

“I’m ready for some ice cream.”

Kara decided the woman sitting next to her was perfect in every way. “Ms. Grant, I think you’re my spirit animal.”

****

After splitting a hot fudge sundae nearly the size of her head, they’d enjoyed some more of the sanctuary, but Cat’s energy was beginning to wane. It was getting late, and as much as Cat didn’t want the night to end, they both had work tomorrow. 

“Come here,” Supergirl murmured unexpectedly, and Cat hesitated, hearing something in her voice that made her stomach do a giddy somersault. 

“Why?” 

“Do you trust me?” Supergirl asked, a warm, inviting smile easing across her lips.

Suspicious of what the other woman was up to, Cat was still drawn irresistibly to that smile. “I let you fly me over National City. I think you know the answer to that question.”

“Put your arms around my neck.”

Cat was already obeying before she could think better of it, Supergirl’s hands easing around her waist and drawing her in close, their bodies pressed together intimately. Cat struggled to breathe, unsure what was happening, what she wanted to be happening. Their feet left the ground as Supergirl floated upward, lingering just high enough for Cat to see the entire park.

“No wonder my feet are sore,” Cat muttered when she saw the expansiveness of it, and she could feel Supergirl’s amusement as the younger woman laughed lightly in her arms. 

They drifted over the park, and Cat assumed they were heading for the parking lot, so she was surprised when Supergirl touched down in the arctic exhibit.

The chill from the habitats was stronger than the summer night’s heat. Cat shivered as Supergirl stepped back, and Cat missed her curves and heat instantly. She looked up in surprise as Kara reached up to her collar, detaching her cape before draping it over Cat’s shoulders, the material surprisingly soft and warm as it spilled over her bare skin. They stared at each other for a long moment.

“Why…” Cat began only to lapse into silence when Kara pointed behind her. Turning, Cat saw where they were, and she decided Kara Danvers had a romantic streak a mile wide that she could get very, very use to. “Penguins,” she drawled, the cold receding as warmth bloomed in her chest.

“And puffins. Don’t forget the cute little puffins.”

Cat smiled before she reached out confidently, certain her overture would be accepted, and clasped Supergirl’s hand in her own. They were alone, this part of the sanctuary the farthest from the entrance, and only a handful of people were close to making it this far back. They would have a few minutes together before saying goodnight, and Cat was determined to make them count.

She lead them to the rail, Supergirl following with a soft, charmed smile. They leaned over and both grinned wider when they spotted the animals splashing in the water below. 

“They are cute,” Supergirl murmured, giggling slightly when she watched one slip and slide down the slick rocks into the water, making an undignified noise as he went.

“Carter loves them.”

“Is that why they’re your favorite?”

“One of the reasons.” Cat tugged on their joined hands, leading them down a path and into an enclosure she’d read about. She’d been eager to see it, and suspected Kara would enjoy it even more.

“Wow.”

As reactions went, it’s wasn’t terribly articulate, but Cat has to admit it was on point. “Wow, indeed.”

They found themselves in a tunnel nearly twenty yards long, the only illumination an ethereal blue glow emitted from the underwater lights in the habitat that now surrounded them.

“This is cool.”

“Literally,” Cat murmured, drawing the cape tighter around her shoulders. It smelled like Kara, and Cat took a deep, appreciative breath. She watched, amused, as the penguins noticed Supergirl instantly, pulling up in surprise before swimming closer to inspect the brightly colored creature on the other side of the glass. Cat snorted faintly, understanding their fascination completely. As Supergirl moved, they moved with her, and Kara laughed in pure delight at their antics.

The sight left Cat breathless, her emotions rising up and threatening to swallow her whole. What she was feeling was more than attraction, more than infatuation and curiosity. Kara had been flung across the stars to be here now, in this very moment, and Cat didn’t feel worthy of her, of the pure, magical gift of having her in her life.

Her feelings must have shown in her eyes because when Kara turned to make sure she was enjoying the moment as much as she was, she went still, her smile slowly falling away as Cat simply stared at her. “What?” she breathed.

Cat wanted to say the words, wanted to confess the truth she’d been fighting for too damn long, but they caught in her throat.

“Cat.” Supergirl came closer, her blue eyes stricken as she reached for the older woman, her hand gently cupping Cat’s cheek. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Cat managed with effort. “I… thank you… for tonight.” She had to look away.

Supergirl could see the gratitude was sincere, but her gaze softened, a look of wonder in her eyes as she stepped ever closer. Cat wasn’t fooling her. Not for a second. 

They stayed that way for a moment, the silence lengthening, charging the few inches of air that remained between them.

“So…” Supergirl said slowly, hesitantly, her tone forced and light, drawing Cat’s gaze to hers again. “Not bad for a second date?” she asked bravely, but she smiled, giving Cat an easy out, a way to brush it off as a joke.

Cat closed her eyes for a moment, anticipation building deep in her stomach. “That depends.”

“On?” Kara’s thumb stroked Cat’s cheek and Cat opened her eyes again, unsurprised that Kara had drifted even closer. 

“Whether or not there will be a third.”

Kara said nothing for several seconds. “Do you want there to be?” Serious now. Hopeful.

A half step, if that, was all it took for Cat to brush her mouth feather light over Kara’s. The younger woman’s breath caught in surprise, and it was all Cat could do to ease back, to make sure she wasn’t misreading the situation or doing something Kara didn’t want when all she really wanted was to kiss the girl senseless. Nervously, Cat met Kara’s gaze at close range, fearful of what she’d see, bracing for an awkward, gentle rejection from acting too soon.

It never came. 

Kara crossed the scant space between, her mouth crashing down on Cat’s as she kissed her with a passion that surprised them both.

Cat’s back hit the glass, the chill from the water no match for Kara’s heat. She’d thought innocent little Kara Danvers wouldn’t know how to kiss someone like this, but she’d been damn wrong. Kara pressed against her and Cat moaned softly into her mouth, the rush of arousal clouding her thoughts, her judgment.

Neither heard the sound of footsteps until it was nearly too late.

****

Kara sucked in a harsh breath as she stepped back. She didn’t want to stop, and one look at Cat’s blown pupils and swollen mouth and she almost didn’t. “Someone is coming.”

In a daze, Cat reluctantly handed her the cape and Kara just finished reattaching it with fumbling fingers when a family of four walked inside, starting as they found National City’s two most powerful women alone and looking strangely disheveled and guilty.

They exchanged pleasantries as Cat and Supergirl left, and Kara could well imagine what the parents of those two kids had to be thinking about them.

“That was awkward,” Cat murmured as they stepped back out into the night, a light mist beginning to fall. She tipped her chin up, letting it bathe her features. “Not exactly a cold shower, but it will have to do.”

Kara breathed in a lungful of damp air, skating along a razor’s edge between panic and desire. Left to her own devices, panic would win out, but as long as Cat was there, it was no contest. 

Cat must have sensed something was amiss, her brow furrowing slightly. “Are you alright?” 

Kara raked her hands through her hair. “Um… that was…” She stopped breathing when Cat stepped closer, her right hand reaching up to rest on the lower portion of the crest on her chest.

“Easy,” Cat murmured, as if Supergirl were a spooked horse that might bolt. 

“I kissed you,” Kara blurted.

“You certainly did.” Cat eased her hand lower, resting it on Kara’s stomach. “Are you… regretting that?”

“No!” Kara said quickly. “I mean… I…” She closed her eyes and blew out a shaky breath, her body still humming with arousal she hadn’t realized she could feel this acutely. “It’s just… that was…” She sucked up her courage and met Cat’s gaze. “I just kissed Cat freaking Grant,” she said, as if that explained everything.

Cat pursed her lips, amused. “I just kissed freaking Supergirl. I win.” Slowly, a charmed smile eased over Cat’s mouth, and Kara’s nerves began to settle at the sight of it. “It scared the hell out me, too,” Cat admitted. “But… in a very good way.”

Kara stared at her for a moment, barely able to believe this was happening, that they both wanted the same thing. “So… what do we do now?” 

“You have dinner with me Friday night.”

“Are you asking me out, Ms. Grant?” Kara was proud of herself for sounding almost normal when she was suddenly so giddy she could barely keep her feet on the ground.

“I am,” Cat said deliberately. “My penthouse. 7:00. I’ll even cook for you.”

Kara eyed her skeptically.

“Careful…” Cat warned, but she obviously enjoyed the smile Supergirl gave her in return. “I can cook. I’m actually fairly good at it. I just don’t usually have the time.”

“Carter…”

“Field trip with his science class. We’ll have the place to ourselves. All weekend.”

“Oh,” Kara breathed, intoxicated by the possibilities.

“Is that a yes?” Cat inched closer, her hand slowly sliding up Kara’s torso.

It took a moment for Kara to remember how to talk. “Yes.”

“Good,” Cat purred before her hand crossed the valley between Kara’s breasts, wrapping around her neck and pulling her down into another heated kiss.

A soft whine began to tickle Kara’s ears. She ignored it at first, too lost in Cat and the exhilaration of kissing the other woman, but the whine slowly became more insistent, more distracting.

“Oh look,” Cat said, a little breathless when they finally parted. “You kissed Cat freaking Grant again.”

“I…” Supergirl cocked her head, listening. The noise was getting louder, and she winced as it began to make her ears ache.

Cat frowned. “What’s wrong?” 

“A weird noise…” Kara murmured. “High pitched. It’s…”

Pain lanced through Kara’s skull, violent and sudden, driving her to one knee. 

“Supergirl?” Cat shouted in fear, but then a voice drowned the older woman out as a maniacal laugh thundered in Kara’s head.

 _Can you hear me, Super Girlie?_

Unhinged laughter followed the introduction, the sound scraping raw down her nerves.

Kara covered her ears as the whine increased in pitch and volume, making her ears bleed. 

_Gets your attention, no? Such a high frequency only your dainty ears can hear._

Kara tried to focus through the pain, to zero in on the location of the transmission, but the whine in her head only got louder, stronger. She groaned, helpless. Hands were on her now, a worried voice called her name, but she couldn’t escape the one drilling into her head.

 _You and I are going to have all sorts of fun soon._ He laughed again, and Kara’s stomach roiled. 

_See you soon, girlie. Tell your cousin I said hi._

His laughter cut off like it had been severed with a cleaver and Kara collapsed, the sudden release of pressure in her head making the world tunnel and spin. Warm arms caught her and eased her toward the ground and she looked up into Cat’s terrified features.

“What happened?” Cat barked, falling back into CEO mode out of fear.

Kara shook her head but the world tilted nauseatingly. Her ears throbbed and she reached up to touch one, her fingers coming away dotted with blood. “Loud frequency,” she managed. “Rao, that hurt.” She tried to sit up, but Cat wouldn’t let her. “Cat, I have to…”

“You’re hurt and disoriented. Flying off right now is a bad idea. Last thing we need after all your good PR tonight is for you to crash through an orphanage or something.” Cat swallowed, and Kara realized she was shaking, that she’d scared her. “Come on.”

With Cat’s help, Supergirl managed to stand and walk unsteadily over to a bench before sinking down onto it. Cat immediately settled next to her before gently brushing a lock of hair from Kara’s features. “Better?”

Supergirl nodded and immediately wished she hadn’t. She gripped Cat’s hand, stroking her thumb over the back of the other woman’s knuckles in an effort to comfort them both. “I’m okay,” she reassured. “I just need a second.”

“What kind of frequency was it?” 

“It was a communication. One way. The guy sounded… _nuts_.” 

“Nuts how?” Cat’s voice sharpened with suspicion.

“He… he kept laughing.” Kara watched as Cat’s features darkened. “What?”

“What kind of laugh?” 

“Why does that…?”

“Supergirl, what kind of laugh?” Cat insisted.

Kara took a breath, the increasing rain and Cat’s nearness helping to steady her both mentally and physically. “He sounded completely insane.”

Cat’s jaw tightened before she began digging through her clutch. A moment later she withdrew her phone, searching through her digital files. “Did he sound like this?”

When that laugh suddenly emerged from tiny speakers, Supergirl eased upright, dizziness be damned, a chill chasing down her spine.

“Who is that?” she demanded.

“A nightmare.”

“Cat, who is he?”

“The Joker, and if he’s in National City, we’re all in very big trouble.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to zennie and DJ Shiva for their help with this chapter. Another installment in this series is coming so no, I'm not leaving you on a cliffhanger. Well, I am, just not forever. ;-)
> 
> And for those who've seen the adorable photo of Melissa with the girls dressed as Supergirl, that was my inspiration for that part of this story.
> 
> Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear if you liked it!


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